(CNN) - The House Oversight Committee plans to vote next Thursday on whether to hold a former Internal Revenue Service official in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about the agency's alleged targeting of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status, its chairman, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, said.

The official is Lois Lerner, the former IRS director of tax-exempt organizations, Lerner retired last year after being placed on administrative leave by the IRS after she said the IRS applied extra scrutiny to both conservative and liberal political groups seeking tax-exempt status between 2010 and 2012.

soundoff(69 Responses)

Smith, then why not give her immunity? She will never be charged with anything regardless, Issa could have ended it, but didn't, bin laden again. Sorry you can't see your party for what they've become, lord knows it ain't pretty.

Liberally biased, your being funny again, wasn't it CBS that had to detract a story, who's main player admitted to lying, wake up bub, your dreaming!

April 3, 2014 03:08 pm at 3:08 pm |

rs

It was predictable that as the news of the successful enrollment of more than 7 million Americans in affordable health care plans hit the airwaves, the GOP would come back with some other headline-grabber. Resurrecting their fake-O IRS scandal is certainly on that radar, more creatively was Mr. Cruz's asinine claim that religious freedoms are under attack.

Perhaps the GOP will roll out Benghazi again.....

And the GOP wonders why they have such a credibility problem?

April 3, 2014 03:12 pm at 3:12 pm |

Marie MD

A better question is how a person with the car thief/arsonist/Army's background can be a member of congress and sit in judgment of others!
He's a loud mouth nobody who can't be senator of his state. His manners are also non existent.
She was ready to testify wasn't she? Isn't that why he adjourned the meeting and cut off Cumming's mike.
If anyone should be impeached and thrown out of congress and that particular committee it's him.

April 3, 2014 03:14 pm at 3:14 pm |

rs

Meanwhile, in the real world, Mr. Issa's somewhat illegal move to shut out his own co-chair (Mr. Cummings) by having his microphone turned off during the last hearing has sufficiently damaged the credibility of Mr. Issa's committee that it no longer has any relevance in this little witch hunt. He should be censured for his unprofessional behavior, but naturally the chaos-prone TEA Party GOPpers would never consider that- not while they have a perfectly good fantasy to live out.

April 3, 2014 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

Silence DoGood

@Dems in PA
And then we need some officials to go to prison for the Benghazi cover-up.
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The hearing are done. You can read the transcripts online. What evidence do you have for a cover up?
Oh wait this is the Benghazi Conspiracy Theory! Woo-hoo – we don't need no facts!

Now if you are referring to the evidence on the congressional record of the GOP de-funding embassy security when Hillary Clinton asked for it: I don't think we should send the GOP congress members to jail. There are worse things the GOP is guilty of....

April 3, 2014 03:17 pm at 3:17 pm |

smith

@Salty dog-Why give her a free pass for do something illegal? How do we know after she is granted immunity she will even begin to tell the truth? There is no actual evidence to back up your conspiracy theory. Btw, Im not repub.

April 3, 2014 03:19 pm at 3:19 pm |

Sniffit

"It was easy, make it mandatory"

People signed up because they WANT to be insured. Polling and survey data leave no room for argument about this.

"fine people if the don't"

The fines are much smaller than if you pay a premium. The GOP/Teatrolls...including yourself, no doubt...even made this argument when releasing commercials and going to college campuses to hold tailgate parties and generally campaigning to convince people to "don't sign up....just pay the fine...it's cheaper."

"extend the deadline"

They beat their 7M enrollee target on or before March 31, 2014, WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE. The extension had nothing to do with and, more rational people would recognize, such an extension would actually encourage people to wait until the "new" last minute, so it works against trying to meet the target by the original deadline...but they did so anyway.

April 3, 2014 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

NATHAN WIMBERLY

Another GOP money wasting witch hunt. November comes quickly for ALL of them.

April 3, 2014 03:36 pm at 3:36 pm |

emskadittle

Obamacare meets this years goal? BENGHAZI! IRS!

April 3, 2014 03:46 pm at 3:46 pm |

rs

smith

@Salty dog-Why give her a free pass for do something illegal? How do we know after she is granted immunity she will even begin to tell the truth? There is no actual evidence to back up your conspiracy theory. Btw, Im not repub.
_________________________________
The free pass would be for Mr. Issa's inability to actually find anything to stick on her. She investigated both Right and Left-wing political organizations equally- shoot she even found the TEA Party fools to be "social welfare" organizations (!?) while denying the same tax exempt (and hidden donor) status for the Lefties.

There is nothing to Issa's charges, and the moment the woman speaks his witch hunt dies.

Besides, Issa so messed up his committee by shutting down his second in command his little inquisition group is pretty meaningless.

April 3, 2014 03:50 pm at 3:50 pm |

smith

@Silence- What`s really sad is that Susan Rice turned Benghazi into a scandal. If your not sure of the facts its best to say nothing. Blaming the attack on a youtube video was so stupid and dumb that it really raised eyebrows.

Smith Obama learned something from this, the gop wants you to push him into doing something without the facts, the gop has shown itself, they want to destroy our country, I don't expect you to believe me, but I call it like I see it, not like they tell me too. You don't think the voter laws are designed to limit the democrat vote? You think limitless money is good for democracy, or just for Republican advantage, wake up, the Republicans have nothing for you be honest, tell me what they have done for a working guy like me? I made 82 last year, another 420 k and I'd vote gop too.

April 3, 2014 04:02 pm at 4:02 pm |

Sniffit

"@rs-Then why plea the fifth? She did something illegal."

That is absolutely and explicitly NOT what claiming the 5th means and by law is considered an impermissible and unconstitutional inference to draw when someone claiming the 5th.

Don't worry though. The conservatives on the SCOTUS will no doubt change that in obeisance to the plutocrat masters of the universe they truly serve.

April 3, 2014 04:05 pm at 4:05 pm |

ThinkAgain: Don't like Congress? Get rid of the repub/tea bag majority.

@salty dog: "Did Sniffit clear this up for you son? Or should we go over it again? They don't want her to testify, ..."

Typical Issa, who didn't call the ATF field officers regarding the fast and furious hearings. And just like after 9 Benghazi hearings, it wouldn't matter what Lerner says – they'll never believe her.

BTW, where was all the fuss from the righties when 13 U.S. diplomatic missions were attacked during the GW presidency?

Smith I don't think it was about answering any specific question, she knows the goal, and she knows she's expendable. I think if she thought this was a real, truth seeking investigation, she would have been more accommodating, IMHO. She knows this has little to do with seeking truth. You to realise some pertanent witnesses were nit allowed to testify, once issa learned their testimony didn't fit his narrative, no, it was never about the truth..don't you think er should find answers to why thousands were sent to die in Iraq war, or the 50 American lives lost under similar acts to benghazi, under the last administration, or does justice start in January of 09? Just asking.no disrespect meant, in the ballot box were either dem or rep

April 3, 2014 04:10 pm at 4:10 pm |

smith

@Salty dog-I`ve said many times on the ticker that because fat cat political donors to both parties are govt. has been corrupted. Im an Independent and think as of right now both parties are headed in the wrong direction.

April 3, 2014 04:13 pm at 4:13 pm |

The REAL Truth...

@smith – I`ve said many times on the ticker that because fat cat political donors to both parties are govt. has been corrupted. Im an Independent and think as of right now both parties are headed in the wrong direction.
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I somehow doubt the independent part, as you seem terribly right-leaning from your ongoing ticker comments... The real truth is that Lerner isn't hiding anything... and Issa won't give her immunity, because once the olive branch is taken, his political capital will wither with the witch hunt.
Issa is batting 0- and 13 right now.. and is same situation for Benghazi, which (while troubling) isn't unique. I know it's VERY inconvenient that we've ONLY had one embassy/consular attack under this Administration losing 4 American lives (3 of whom were CIA) versus the 12 attacks under the prior Administration that cost more American lives than Benghazi and some 50+ civilians. Two of those attacks were REPEATED on SAME Embassy.

April 3, 2014 04:26 pm at 4:26 pm |

Rudy NYC

smith

@rs-Then why plea the fifth? She did something illegal.
--------------------
Only an diot would testify before Issa, most especially when he's trying to find something to criminally charge you with.

BTW. What`s really sad is that Susan Rice was turned into a scandal over Benghazi.

Rice was scheduled to appear on those Sunday talk shows months in advance. The U.N. was opening up for a General Assembly that week, and as U.S. Ambassador she was scheduled to speak about that. She was given talking points to use if Benghazi questions came up. She did her job as she was instructed to do.

April 3, 2014 04:28 pm at 4:28 pm |

don in albuquerque

smith

Why would anybody in their right mind testify before Issa? So far in all his shrieking he has proven nothing on any of the scandals he has helped to create. I am certain she did not take the 5th without consulting an attorney who advised her, "The guy has, and is nothing. Ignore him." And by the way you hiding behind "Independent" is laughable.

April 3, 2014 04:42 pm at 4:42 pm |

CALIFORNIA

House panel to consider holding ex-IRS official in contempt
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As they should.
Time to hold these people accountable for their actions.

April 3, 2014 04:50 pm at 4:50 pm |

CALIFORNIA

Rudy NYC
smith

BTW. What`s really sad is that Susan Rice was turned into a scandal over Benghazi.
---–
You're right. Should of been Hillary's butt

April 3, 2014 04:53 pm at 4:53 pm |

Tommy G

I gotta admit, nobody can concoct a mass of lies like the lefty clowns on this board.

Lois Lerner came before a committee meeting which was adjourned. The Committee was told she would testify. She got in there and proceeded to take the 5th AGAIN. At which point the meeting was adjourned again. At that point Cummings went ballistic because he wanted to read ANOTHER one of his tirades, as he has done repeatedly and already was allowed to do when the committee opened the hearings. The meeting was adjourned and his remarks were totally out of order for any meeting of this type. He is nothing but a partisan Democrat there to obstruct the hearings and turn them into something other than an investigation into what happened. He's been doing it since the start of the hearings and this was just more of the same.

It is very clear Lois Lerner is hiding A LOT because the emails they have been able to get are very damning for her. Offering her immunity at this point is NOT correct, NOT until the IRS produces all of her communications. She may very well be the one that did all this. Why grant her immunity when she has committed criminals offenses?

April 3, 2014 04:59 pm at 4:59 pm |

Tom

I wish the Democrats would make a bigger deal of how much money the Republicans are wasting on these witch hunt investigations.